Automatic liquid level control system

Claim 2

An automatic liquid level control system comprising: A. A container in which liquid is to be maintained at a predetermined level; B. A pump connected to pump liquid to said container; C. An engine coupled to and driving said pump; D. Engine speed control means responsive to a level of liquid above said predetermined level for retarding the speeds of said engine; and E. Flow control means responsive to the rate of flow from said pump for coupling flow from the output of the said pump to said container when said pump is not retarded in speed by said engine control means and preventing flow from said pump to said container when the speed of said engine is retarded by said engine speed control means.

Claim 3

An automatic liquid lever control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said engine and engine speed control means comprises a reciprocating engine having first and second opposed operating cylinder assemblies and wherein: A. Said first cylinder assembly including a first piston and first valve means for applying pressure to said first piston to drive said first piston in a first direction from a first end of its stroke and to the opposite end of its stroke and including means for releasing said pressure at said opposite ends of its stroke; and B. Said second cylinder assembly including a second piston and second valve means responsive to the liquid level in said container for applying a fluid force to said second piston which fluid force has a substantial inertia when the liquid level in said container is above said predetermined level and slight inertia when said liquid level in said container is lower than said predetermined level.

Claim 4

An automatic liquid level control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said valve control means of said second cylinder assembly comprises an orifice interconnecting said second cylinder assembly with the interior of said container said container is under pressure and said orifice is positioned at said predetermined level wherein when said level rises above said orifice the fluid pressure acting on said system of said second cylinder assembly is in the form of liquid which moves relatively slow through said orifice and moves said piston of said second cylinder assembly relatively slow and wherein when said level is below said orifice the fluid force acting on said piston of said second cylinder assembly is in the form of gas which moves rapidly through said orifice and causes said piston of said second cylinder assembly to move rapidly.

Claim 5

An automatic liquid level control system as set forth in claim 3 further comprising: A. Said pump comprising third and fourth cylinder assemblies having respectively, third and fourth pistons acting together; B. First and second channels; C. A first check valve for permitting unilateral flow from said third cylinder assembly to said first channel, said fourth cylinder assembly being connected to said second channel; D. A second check valve for permitting unilateral flow from said first channel to said second channel; E. An orifice connecting and permitting restricted bilateral flow between said first and second channels; F. A reservoir connected to said first channel; and G. A third check valve for permitting unilateral flow from said second channel to said container when the fluid pressure in said second channel exceeds the pressure in said container; whereby, fluid is drawn into said fourth cylinder assembly during the expansion stroke of said fourth piston and is selectively forced from said fourth to either said reservoir or to said container depending, respectively, whether said pump is retarded in speed or not retarded in speed.

Claim 6

An automatic liquid level control system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first valve means comprises: A. A pressure inlet into said first cylinder assembly; B. An exhaust exit from said first cylinder assembly; and C. A sleeve piston positioned within said first cylinder assembly and operated in a first direction by said first piston during a last portion of the stroke of said piston in said first direction and operated in the opposite direction during a last portion of the stroke of said first piston in said opposite direction whereby said sleeve alternatively opens and closes said pressure inlet and said exhaust outlet to achieve in combination with force applied to said second piston reciprocating motion of said engine and said pump.

Claim 7

An automatic liquid level control system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said second valve means comprises an orifice interconnecting said second cylinder assembly and the liquid level in said container and said orifice is positioned at said predetermined level whereby the displacement of said second piston is retarded in speed when said liquid level is above and thus immerses said orifice and the speed of said second piston is not retarded when the liquid leveL is below and does not immerse said orifice.

Claim 8

An automatic liquid level control system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first, third, fourth and second pistons are coupled together and positioned in line in the order named and act in unison within a single chamber comprising said first, third, fourth and second cylinder assemblies.